You are here

BA (Hons) Acting for Film

BA (Hons) Acting for Film offers you an intense focus on developing your practical skills in Screen Acting.

You will develop your own bespoke acting approach from an introduction to a broader range of acting practitioners such as Meisner, Strasberg and Adler alongside the technical acting skills necessary for a convincing, truthful camera performance.

Working with leading screen and film professional actors, directors and producers offers an opportunity to position yourself with a very strong offer for future performance work.

You will also develop a knowledge of other aspects of film and screen acting and its history, and an understanding of the film and television industry and how this contributes to and reflects contemporary culture.

Interview: Yes, candidates will be required to demonstrate, in a performance audition, ability in dance, acting and singing. Applicants with high levels of performance skills may be considered for a lower academic offer.

Postgraduate Pathways

Student view

Martha Franks

Studying ‘Acting For Film’ has been so different to any acting experience I've had in the past because often students don't get the chance to act on a proper film set, taking in the technicalities of it all. The course has highlighted aspects of acting which are completely new to me, which I find inspiring.

Katie Turner

Acting for Film has been everything I wanted it to be. The teachers are incredible and I have loved every minute!

Maliqkah Walton

Acting For Film’ has enhanced how passionate I am about aspiring to work in this field. The staff are amazing and work hard to turn us all into professionals. I love my course!

Course content

Delivered by highly experienced practitioners in film and television acting, directing and producing this course offers access from first year onwards to extensive practical training in screen performance.

As well as practical classes in camera and acting techniques the course also encompasses Film Combat, Voice-Over, Body Conditioning, Mindfulness and Professional Resilience.

Complementing this is the specialist development of industry knowledge and engagement – a unique programme in the UK.

From the second year students also have an opportunity to create their own performance material and have their ideas professionally produced and filmed. In addition they will have the opportunity to audition and act in a number of short films specially written and produced by industry professionals.

They will film an advert on a commercial sound stage facilitated by The Pinewood Group and have the option of learning the editing process.

In the final year students will accumulate a significant body of show reel and voice-over material with additional careers workshops and advice from leading industry professionals available to them after graduation.

You’ll acquire a toolkit of vocational knowledge in work based modules designed to help you to extend your work beyond that of an actor, and to develop real understanding of the challenges of work in a professional environment.

Our facilities

Over the past few years, we’ve redeveloped both of our campuses so that you have the best-ever facilities available for your degree.

We pride ourselves on the quality of the learning environment we can offer our students which is as much about the quality of the tutors as it is about the spaces we work in.

This programme is mainly taught at our Chichester campus and is located in one of the largest performance departments in the UK, with enviable teaching, performance and practice resources.

These currently include:

Dedicated acting rehearsal rooms

Studio performance space

Access to commercial sound stage experience

State of the art lighting and sound equipment

New high quality 4K cameras

Comprehensive technical support including camera operators in majority of classes

The Bognor Regis campus is seven miles from the Bishop Otter campus and is connected by frequent buses. Our students therefore have access to both an historic cathedral city and an iconic south-coast seaside resort.

The Learning Resource at both campuses is the hub of the learning environment.

It has two upper floors of library resources, with a comprehensive theatre and film collection, one for silent study and one for quiet study, both of which have recently been refurbished.

On the ground floor, you’ll find the Support and Information Zone, Media Hub, Otter Gallery, Costa Coffee and a variety of IT resources.

Where this can take you

Students will have the opportunity to develop a broad range of skills to enhance employability in a range of areas beyond University.

Course progression within the department has been very high, with a number of students going on to further study at Masters level in some of the most prestigious conservatoires in the country and in PGCE teacher training.

As performers, graduates will work, both in the UK and USA, in:

​Commercial Film Production

Independent Film Production

Commercial Television

Music Video

Voice Over

Corporate Media

Games Industry

Website Video Production

Work placements

We understand the importance of ensuring that you have the knowledge, skills and experience to compete successfully in today’s challenging jobs market.

Our commitment is to make sure that students complete the necessary preparation to be able to successfully compete in all the screen acting related industries.

Indicative modules

Screen Acting

This programme of study is focused each year towards preparation, developing the required disciplines and practices needed for film-acting skills, as well as developing a good sense of performance context. Student film-actors will be challenged creatively, physically and intellectually under the direction of specialist acting teachers, preparing them towards professional careers.

Introduction to Industry

This semester long programme of study is one of several vocational industry based options which will help students to gain a practical understanding of the role of an actor as well as different professional roles within the film and television industry, exposing them to a variety of national and international working models. They will understand the preparation expected of a working actor, ownership of character and delivery. They will also gain an insight into the inner workings and the professional relationships that need to be established and nurtured in order to progress in the industry. They’ll learn organizational and discriminatory skills and the personal qualities required in working with people in the film acting business.

Iconoclasts To Icons

This semester long programme of study is focused on the chronology, socio-political context and development of the craft of Screen Acting from the silent era to the modern day. Students will be challenged to critically analyse and evaluate screen performances from such case studies as Charlie Chaplin through to Tom Hardy. The development of female roles will also be charted from the studio system starlet to the female game changers of the modern era. They will explore the dynamics and form-changing works from renowned actor/director collaborations to gain an understanding of screen acting styles, techniques and genres.

In The Spotlight

This module is designed to provide tuition and advice designed to help graduates market themselves as trained professionals. The students will learn and experience the varied formats of auditioning: commercial castings, sides, sight reading, screen tests etc. There will also be an emphasis on the importance of a good headshot, roles of agents, casting directors and casting directories such as Spotlight. It will support them with editing an effective industry standard show reel and voice reel. It will also provide tuition on peripheral issues such as Equity, tax returns and self-employment.

Performance Development

A screen actor/musician has an additional skillset and the vocal or instrumental study option is intended to put in place the basic performance and communication skills on which subsequent achievement and technical and expressive development will depend. Students develop their current repertoire, and explore new work under the direction of one of our 29 individual vocal specialist teachers and more than 100 instrumental teachers, taking advantage of the resources of one of the largest music departments in the UK.

Through the Lens

This semester long programme of study is focused on the screen actor’s relationship with the camera and the audience. They will further investigate the screenplay interpretation by an actor and the inherent acting decisions in terms of character development, delivery and technical aspects. Students will be challenged to critically analyse scripts and evaluate the subsequent screen performances of those scripts. They will explore how to ‘read’, create and build screen performances from text to screen in order to reflect on, enhance and further build on their own screen acting skills.

Throughout their study all students can access our Professional Resilience modules which explore a range of different strategies designed to offer support to the emerging arts practitioner and introduce students to a number of different models of successful self development.

Course elements will vary, but may include:

Get out of your mind for free, how to handle unwanted Private Events (thoughts, feelings, physical sensations);

Love your Ears - Raising Awareness about Dangers of Hearing Loss;

Mood and Food, explore the Relationship of what you eat and how you feel;

Making Achievable Goals;

Spirituality and Wellbeing;

An Introduction to Colour Analysis and Style;

Employability and Careers;

Mindfulness and Creative Practice, offering techniques to help ‘quiet your mind’ and relax in the present moment;

Active Listening;

The Performing Body, using Alexander Technique and Feldenkrais Method

Yoga

Tai Chi

Teaching and assessment

The mission is to provide the student with skills that will enable them to navigate the complexities of the film and television industries through the offer of a professional standard of training within a well-structured and ambitious timetable with considerable contact time with tutors.

We pride ourselves on the quality of the teaching given to our students. Innovation, enthusiasm and expertise combine to deliver the excellent standards that give our institution its high reputation in this field.

The tutors are professional practitioners, demonstrating leadership in the industry offering peer support to colleagues and are generous with their knowledge and expertise.

You will be taught by a core team of experienced and highly-qualified tutors together with a wide-ranging team of acting, lighting, sound, screenwriting and production tutors drawn from a core of more than 200 specialist staff.

You will be assessed by a variety of methods, including essays/portfolios, examinations, filmed performances and practical work, project work, presentations and seminar discussions.

Additional Costs

Include Additional Costs:

Additional Costs

As a University of Chichester student you will be provided
with many
things to support you but there may be additional costs which you may encounter whilst
studying. The
information below will help you understand our provision and what else you need to budget
for.

What you can expect from us

All of your teaching and assessments are included in your tuition fees, including,
lectures/guest
lectures and tutorials, seminars, laboratory sessions and specialist teaching facilities.
You will also
have access to a wide range of support and services:

• Materials for laboratory and field-based teaching activity;
• A range of student services – advisors, help desks, counsellors, placement support
and careers
service;
• The general Library services are free for students and our e-resources are available
wherever you are.
However, you may become liable for fines if you don't return items on time;
• Open access IT spaces, wi-fi across the campuses and in the halls of residence,
AV equipment
to borrow;
• Access to support from our Careers Service;
• Disability and additional learning support;
• The Language Centre to help you develop/improve foreign or English language
skills;
• 24 hours a day security team.

Costs of living and other expenses you may need to consider:

• Accommodation and living costs;
• Text books (but do remember that our library is stocked with a large range of text books
for all
courses, as well as online resources such as industry journals, free of charge);
• General stationery and other supplies such as presentation materials;
• Photocopying and printing (note: a hard copy of each assessment to be submitted is
required);
• The library is charged for the Inter Library Loans service - we pass this cost on directly
to our
customers;
• Travel to, from and between campuses (note that the U7 and Number 50 bus services offer a
subsided
travel rate);
• Gym membership: check out our student membership packages, sports events, varsity teams,
information
about our new facilities and more on the Sport webpages;
• Dance / Theatre passes – these provide discounted entry to a range of
performances;
• Field Trips / Educational Visits – these are optional and do not have to be undertaken to
complete the programme.
Students make a contribution towards the cost (e.g. travel, sometimes
accommodation);
• If you require a Diagnostic Assessment for a Specific Learning Difficulty such as
Dyslexia, the
University may be able to assist you arrange this. You will be required to pay for this
assessment,
although some financial assistance may be possible from the University Hardship Fund.
Further
information is available from the Disability and Dyslexia Service. For more information,
please click here
• Graduation: It is free for the student to attend the ceremony itself. Graduands must wear
academic
dress. Academic dress, guest tickets and photography are additional costs payable by the
student.